Silica Nanowire Growth on Coscinodiscus Species Diatom Frustules via Vapor–Liquid–Solid Process

Abstract

Diatom frustules are a type of porous silicon dioxide microparticle that has long been used in applications ranging from biomedical sensors to dye-sensitized solar cells. The favorable material properties, enormous surface area, and enhanced light scattering capacity support the promise of diatom frustules as candidates for next generation biomedical devices and energy applications. In this study, we employed the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) method to incorporate silica nanowires on the surface of diatom frustules. Compared to the original frustule structures, the frustule-nanowire composite material's surface area increased over 3-fold, and the light scattering ability increased by 10%.

Improved Derivation of the Butler Equations for Surface Tension of Solutions

“…Surface tension of solutions and surface adsorption of their components are key subjects of colloid chemistry − and nano-thermodynamics. − The combination of the two Butler equations offers a useful tool, allowing the estimation of both equilibrium surface composition and equilibrium surface tension of solution. − However, the Butler equations are used less frequently than they could/should be. One of the reasons is their awkward derivation, in which the partial surface tensions of the components are introduced without being properly defined.…”

Formation of nanoflowers: Au and Ni silicide cores surrounded by SiOx branches

“…The active oxidation of Si also happens once the Si substrate is exposed [ 2 – 3 37 ]. Both decomposition and active oxidation can produce volatile SiO gas as the Si vapor source for the formation of SiO x NWs based on VLS mechanism [ 2 , 26 – 27 51 – 52 ]. Several NWs nucleate and then grow around particles because they are large enough to provide several nucleation sites [ 2 – 3 ], leading to the shape of flowers.…”

“…The research of thin film dewetting has been extended to bilayers and multilayers for the synthesis of multicomponent nanoparticles [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16], like alloyed AuNi and AuAg nanoparticles produced by the solid-state dewetting of bilayers [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. Apart from Au, both Ni and Ag can also catalyze the growth of NWs based on the VLS mechanism [26][27][28], and Si NWs have been grown using alloyed AuAg nanoparticles [29]. Au-SiO x nanoflowers have been fabricated by combining the dewetting of Au thin films and the growth of NWs based on the VLS mechanism [3,4].…”

Micro/Nanofabrication, Assembly, and Actuation Based on Microorganisms: Recent Advances and Perspectives

“…[68][69][70] To date, various microorganism species with typical shapes have been used for biotemplated forming, including Chlorella, [71][72][73][74] yeast, [75][76][77] bacillus, [78][79][80] Escherichia coli., [81][82][83] virus, [84][85][86][87][88] Spirulina, [89][90][91][92] and diatoms. [93][94][95][96][97] Based on microbial extracellular forming technique, a range of functional microparticles with various shapes and coating materials have been fabricated, including microspheres, microrods, microflakes, microcoils, etc. (Figure 3).…”

“…, [ 81–83 ] virus, [ 84–88 ] Spirulina , [ 89–92 ] and diatoms. [ 93–97 ] Based on microbial extracellular forming technique, a range of functional microparticles with various shapes and coating materials have been fabricated, including microspheres, microrods, microflakes, microcoils, etc. ( Figure ).…”